Question #2

First, I know the webrings aren’t working. Nothing I can do about it. For those of you who don’t know, you can add your favorites to Bloglines or whatever similar service you prefer. I have the blogs on my webring all listed on Bloglines so when there’s a problem with the ring, I can still get to my favorite reads. That’s about the only advice I can offer as far as keeping up with the blogs when the ring isn’t working.

Now, here’s Question #2:

Why are you afraid of bridges and what are you doing to overcome that fear?

I do not know why I have this fear of bridges. I grew up in southwest Louisiana and drove across long bridges, short bridges, very tall bridges and what most would consider very scary bridges. I can’t tell you how many times I sat on that very, very steep I-10 Lake Charles bridge and just sat there for 15 or 20 minutes (or more) because of an accident on the bridge.

It was probably in about 2000 when Chad and I were driving from Kentucky to Lake Charles, LA and when I went over the Baton Rouge bridge, I had what I guess was a panic attack. I felt my head begin to spin and was afraid I was going to pass out. I had no idea why that happened but the next bridge I crossed, the same thing happened. That’s how it started! No bad bridge experience — just one day out of the blue, I had a hard time crossing bridges.

I’ve always been one to say “get over it” and wasn’t very sympathetic with people who couldn’t do this or couldn’t do that. Maybe this is payback for my insensitivity to others! The fear is very real. Here’s a blog entry where I thought I could drive across a bridge and as soon as I was on it, I realized I wasn’t going to make it and I almost fainted. When I got out of the car, I truly could not stand up because my legs were jelly!

I wish I knew what to do to overcome the fear. Sarah told me that her friend said it helps her to put the window down a bit. I’ve tried that and it didn’t help. Our insurance has a contract with some mental health group out of Springfield and they come here once a week. I called and talked to them and they said they don’t treat that kind of problem.

I did see on TV that the bridge fear is pretty common and there are some psychiatrists who do treat it and there’s a program where you simulating driving over a bridge and they get you through it. Some day we’ll move to a larger place and I’ll find someone who can help me.

But for now, the main thing I’m doing is making sure I don’t have to cross bridges. I don’t mind crossing them so long as I’m not driving.

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I love your new profile “shot”. very nice. I have a similar fear, only mine doesn’t have anything to do with bridges. I fear semi-trucks when passing them, but only as a passenger, not when I’m driving. Maybe it’s because they seem so BIG and so CLOSE. I try to overcome my fear that we will collide by concentrating on their wheels and not the sheer enormity of the whole truck.

My issue with bridges relates to driving over them. If I am a passenger, I’m just fine. If I’m the driver, maybe and maybe not. I worry about needing the shoulder for an emergency and there are no shoulders on bridges. My biggest problem is the Mississippi River.

This comes from having an epileptic mother who drove. She was always making sure she could pull over if required.

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Is there anyone out there who doesn’t know more about me, Judy Laquidara, than you want to know?My husband, Vince, and I live on a little hobby farm with a few chickens, a small orchard and a garden. Besides quilting, hobbies include knitting, cooking, gardening, tending the chickens and reading. Read More…

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